The Silver Smokescreen: A Silent Film for the Radio
By Vernon & Burns
"When the devil pulls the strings, all the world must dance..."
Constructing an episodic narrative from silent movie intertitles, Vernon and Burns translate grand melodramatic gestures and deadpan pratfall pantomime into the audio realm. Hand-tinted frames of sound, under-cranked audio slapstick and sepia-soaked expressionism for the ear are projected onto the cinema screen of the mind's eye.
Produced by Vernon & Burns during a residency at WORM studios, Rotterdam. First performed live as part of 'Popular Noise for the Masses', March 2010. Narrated by Giles Bailey.
Vernon & Burns are a duo of sound makers who create radio plays, records and performances through an innovative mix of samples, field recordings, voice and music. Performed across Europe, their eclectic live act encompasses everything from ventriloquism and magic to music hall and comedy. They have produced work for radio stations including the BBC, VPRO, Resonance FM, WFMU and The Audible Picture Show. Recent releases include an LP on Gagarin Records and a CD in Staalplaat's Mort Aux Vaches series.